That Old Car Smell

So yesterday, while watching my beloved Browns get their asses handed to them by the 1 and 7 Rams, I saw a really cool commercial.

In my real job at Evil Corporate World, I work in media and - tangentially - advertising, PR, and Marketing. The commercial I saw was for Chevy and it was probably one of the most emotionally powerful commercials I've ever seen.

It was funny because I was in the kitchen, making lunch, and Mrs. Zombie was in the other room watching the game on the living room TV. I saw the commercial, and thought, 'Wow. That was incredible!' and walked out of the kitchen to see Mrs. Zombie sobbing on the couch.

"Did you see that! That was crazy." she said, whilst scrambling to find some tissue.

I'll admit, it moistened the old doctor's eyes as well.

That doesn't mean Zombie Boy and I didn't give Mrs. Zombie some grief for being a blubbering girl... but it was that powerful.

I'll let you watch the video. Check it out below.

Warning. It may make you get a little teary eyed. In fact, when I went and found it on Youtube this morning, I re-watched it and felt a little choked up all over again! Seriously.

Powerful, right?

This started a whole conversation between Mrs. Zombie and I, after she stopped being all chick-like and weepy, of course!

The thing is, I don't think I have the kind of car like the dad in that commercial does. All of my first cars were crappy junkers that I spent $400 or so on, and I drove them into the ground.

I know what kind of classic cars I'd like to buy - a 1970 Fastback Mustang, a 1983 DeLorean DMC, a mid 80's Corvette, a replica of the Munster's Dragula, even a 1970 or so Cadillac Hearse - but I've never owned a car that would ever - in any sense - be considered a classic; much less one I'd go to all the trouble of trying to find again.

After a day or so of thinking about it, however, I may need to revise that opinion. Upon further reflection, I realized that there are - in fact - two exceptions to this.

I never owned either of the cars (family members did), but I'd love to find one of each someday.

The first is a 1967 Chevy Nova II. My grandfather owned one and I drove it a few times when I was in high school. I loved that car. It was a classic and - unfortunately - my grandfather died when I was in high school and my dad sold the car soon after. I think I'm still a little resentful that he didn't give me a chance to buy it. I have great memories of that car. I remember driving it downtown with my grandfather to play in the Shriner's band every weekend. And yes. Before you ask... Dr. Zombie was a band geek. I played the saxophone and did a number of other uncool things; things like playing Dungeons and Dragons, attending comic book conventions, and spending hours arguing with my equally geeky friends what was the best Star Trek: TOS episode. I did this and still managed to find women willing to have sex with me. Believe it or not.

(And just for clarity and for the record, the episode where Kirk fights the Gorn on Cestus 3 is - hands down - the best ST:TOS episode. Ever.)



The car actually belonged originally to my great grandmother Frieda (I believe she used to own a funeral home on Clarke Avenue on Cleveland's West Side), and in the late 1980's - when my grandfather got it - it had like 27,000 miles on it.

I actually found a picture of a Nova that looked just like my grandfather's. Same color and everything. I'd give my arm to find the original. Damn my dad. I'd still have this car today if he hadn't sold it.



The second car I'd like to track down is very likely gone to the great junkyard in the sky. Again I didn't own this one. It was my parent's, but I love it because I took my driver's test in it.

It's a 1979 Jeep Cherokee Chief.

I've always loved Jeeps. I remember the first time I saw one. I was probably 6 or 7 and I was sliding around in the back seat of my mom's old station wagon (with the seat that was in the back and faced the oncoming traffic). I saw an old CJ7 Golden Eagle and fell instantly in love with the boxy, convertible original SUV. It was soooo fucking cool. You could ride with no top all summer, and you could drive up mountains all winter (I was 7 at the time and, having grown up in Ohio, the idea of mountains was like some distant Shangri-La).

I swore then and there that I'd own a Jeep.

I was even more stuck on Jeeps when my Dad brought home the yellow Cherokee Chief. It wasn't convertible, but one weekend hunting in the mud of Southern Ohio proved to me that all Jeeps rock. It was big, it was a gas hog, but I loved that truck.

Like I said, I took my driver's test in it, and - sadly - my parents got rid of it soon after I got my license... but the Jeep seed was fully planted. Since then I've owned 6 Wranglers, one Grand Cherokee, and one Jeep Cherokee Sport. The wife and I are talking about replacing her car soon, and I've got her convinced to look at the new Grand Cherokee (which is so sexy it's almost criminal).

But I always go back to that awesome full size Jeep Cherokee Chief.

And here's the funny part... and by funny, I mean I'm going to relate this whole automobile thing to zombies.

Seriously.

My favorite show on TV right is the Walking Dead for obvious reasons. The thing is, the characters Rick and his wife, Lori, are driving around in a 1979 Cherokee Chief that is an exact duplicate of the one I grew up with. Same color, same decals, same everything. The more I think about it, the Cherokee Chief was - without a doubt - one of the best anti-zombie personnel carriers ever designed!

Here's some pictures of the one from the show. Damn sexy!







Like the Chevy Nova II, I'd love to find one of those as well.

The idea of finding the ACTUAL ones I drove years ago is even more alluring.

The Nova would be about the nostalgia, and the Cherokee would be about making the most badass, ultimate, offroad anti-zombie Jeep EVER.

Too bad I've already started saving up to buy a hearse...